Accessibility

Visiting Library Services Program

Did you know that Idea Exchange makes house calls?

If age, illness or disability is preventing you or someone you know from coming to the library, we will make a home visit! Our friendly, trained Visiting Library Service (VLS) volunteers select books (regular, large print, or audio books) and deliver them at their clients’ convenience.

Enjoy favourite authors, borrow a little or a lot, and there are no fines!

We also provide Visiting Library Service to each of the retirement and nursing homes in Cambridge.

To find out more about this service, call 519-621-0460 or ask online[1].

Books in Alternative Formats

We have books in many different formats, with titles to suit everyone’s tastes. Choose from classics, bestsellers, westerns, mysteries, romances, and nonfiction.

Large Print Books[2]: These easy-on-the-eye books are available at each of our libraries.

If you are looking for a book in an accessible format that we don't have in our collection, please contact us[9]. We will do our best to locate a copy in the format that best suits your needs. If the book is at least 2 years old, we may be able to borrow it for you for free from another library in Ontario through our interlibrary loan program.

CELA - Centre for Equitable Library Access

If you have trouble reading print because of a visual, physical or learning disability, Idea Exchange offers lots of other ways to read. As a member of CELA, we offer:

Titles for all ages in audio, e-text and braille

More than 85,000 books, magazines and newspapers

Materials in English and French, with expanding access to other languages

To find out more, visit the CELA website[10], or visit your local library.

Talking Book Patron Status

People who are unable to read print due to a visual, physical, or learning disability are eligible to apply for Talking Book status. To participate in this service, complete the application below and return it to your nearest Idea Exchange location with proof of your full name and current address.

MagnusCards App

The newest addition to our Accessibility resources is called MagnusCards[13], which is a free app that combines instructional social stories with elements of game design to help users learn essential life skills and support independent living. You can collect and create digital Card Decks, which provide step-by-step instructions for activities at Idea Exchange such as getting a library card, visiting an art gallery, and checking out a book! You can also use the app to help navigate the transit system, go to the ROM[14], or get a coffee at Tim Hortons[15]!

Our trained and resourceful staff are always eager to help you access your community and make our library services available to you. Please contact us[9] if you are interested in booking an information session about MagnusCards, or any of our assistive technologies.

Additional Services

These services are available at all Idea Exchange locations:

Accessible buildings, with elevators to the 2nd floors, ramps, door openers and more

Windows Magnifier (Zoom Text icon) computer screen enlarger

Magnifying glasses at service desks

Accessible Customer Service policy

Idea Exchange provides its services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities.

All reasonable effort will be made to ensure that our policies, practices and procedures are consistent with the following principles set out in the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service (Ontario Regulation 429/07):

That the provision of services to people with disabilities and others are integrated unless an alternative measure is necessary, whether temporarily or on a permanent basis, to enable a person with disability to obtain, use or benefit from our services;

That people with disabilities are given an opportunity equal to that given to others to obtain, use or benefit from our services